Jarhead the movie

Did anyone go to see this flick? I thought the book was better, but still beautifully made. Reminds me how much I hated the Marine Corps.

movie was amazing, reading the book soon. awesome.

The movie got several bad reviews. I agree with A.O. Scott that most of the side parts were war movie stock characters, and that, though Mendes wants us to care about them, the are far too two dimentional.

However, the gyllenhal character is interesting enough to hold your interest, and, unlike Scott, I'd recommend you go see it.

Somehow people get the impression that 'nothing happens' in the movie, as if a war movie must have some terrific battles. Enough happens to the main character that we relate to him, and the story does a good job of alluding to our current situation in Iraq without ever being pedantic.

or, in other words:

pretty good flick

I agree with the two dimensional characters part. Thye just didn't take any time to go into the supporting characters around Jake except for bits of Tony and the SSGT. The focus of the movie is clearly (auto)biographical. It told an interesting story and gave some insight into what it's like to be in the Marines now.
It had some severe accuracy problems in that it hammed up the standard Marine behaviour more than a little. but a lot of the situations were pretty spot on. And a lot of the internalized conflict and craziness.

A couple of the guys I went and saw it with (Marine buddies of course) think it may end up becoming the Full Metal Jacket of our time. I don't agree. but it's worth watching.